Laurier wraps up three-year Virtual Village project, linking nearly 200 students with older adults in the community

July 5, 2024

The recently concluded Virtual Village project was a three-year collaboration between Wilfrid Laurier University and Fairview Parkwood Communities that addressed social isolation among older adults in long-term care during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The pilot project received $375,000 in funding for three years from the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging as part of a project funded by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program. The program successfully supported inter-generational learning experiences by facilitating meaningful relationships between students and older adults through sharing skills, knowledge and experiences. 

In total, 194 students in nine different courses participated in the Virtual Village project, which offered a unique interdisciplinary approach to experiential learning.  

Students came to the Virtual Village program from multiple disciplines and were able to see the different approaches of their peers and learn new approaches. “That's one really unique thing about the Virtual Village project,” says Lisa Jarvis, associate director, Community and Workplace Partnerships at Laurier. “It featured multiple models of experiential learning.”  

Students participating in the Virtual Village project engaged in custom learning experiences based on their course requirements. A student on a co-op term worked as the program’s peer facilitator; Kinesiology students fulfilled their in-program volunteer hours by working with older adults; and a Health Studies student used the program as part of their practicum.  By connecting learning objectives to partner Fairview Parkwood Communities' needs, the program served students and long-term care residents in many ways.  

One of those connections was through music. As part of the project, Laurier students and Fairview Parkwood Communities residents participated in virtual sing-a-longs to popular songs, exchanged stories and shared life experiences. 

“Through an integration of music and stories, the Virtual Village project created an exceptional space for experiential learning,” says Héctor A. Acero Ferrer, a faculty member at the Laurier-affiliated Martin Luther University College. “It fostered encounters that were collaborative and relational, not transactional.” 

The outcomes of the program were clear. Every student participant surveyed said they would recommend the program to a friend and 93 per cent felt confident engaging with older adults after being involved in the program. In addition, 73 per cent of student participants said they were now confident engaging with older adults living with dementia.  

“We saw students shift their general attitudes toward aging,” says Jarvis. “These changed attitudes and the discovery of something new is the power of experiential learning, with students even saying they were thinking about continuing to volunteer, or potentially pursuing careers in the sector.” 

As for the older adults, 100 per cent felt that the experience was meaningful for them and many indicated that it improved their mood or helped them feel connected. One of the respondents met with students enrolled in German GM111, a class taught by Languages and Literatures instructor Anne Popovich. They said they enjoyed meeting new people – and sharing their knowledge of German. “I wanted to help students with German,” the respondent said. “I could be of big help as I know German and they are beginners.” 

The Virtual Village research team continues to share its findings with the community. In May, the team presented a Laurier EdTalk at the Waterloo Public Library.  

“The data we’ve collected throughout our experience has helped us create a model of campus/community collaboration and intergenerational programming that we can build on.” says Jarvis. “Hopefully, other universities or community partners can learn from our findings as well.”